Spence back with flourish, downs Ugas to unify titles

Errol Spence Jr. ended a 16-month layoff Saturday with 10th-round technical knockout over Las Vegan Yordenis Ugas to unify the WBA, WBC and IBF welterweight titles in Arlington, Texas. Spence (28-0, 22 knockouts) worked primarily from the inside and bullied Ugas (27-5, 12 KOs) with flurries of body shots and uppercuts. The damage accumulated around Ugas’ right eye, and the ringside doctor deemed him unfit to finish the fight 1:44 into the 10th round.

■ MLB: An MRI examination showed no structural damage to Minnesota center fielder Byron Buxton’s right knee, and the Twins don’t anticipate placing the 28-year-old on the injured list, manager Rocco Baldelli said. Buxton, who has three homers in seven games this season, was hurt on a first-inning slide in Minnesota’s win Friday at Boston.

■ NASCAR: At Bristol, Tenn., Ben Rhodes used a crossover move to slide past Carson Hocevar and drift to victory in the Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt. Rhodes, the reigning Truck Series champion, won for the sixth time and first this season after two runner-up finishes through five races. He led 95 of 150 laps.

■ Gymnastics: At Fort Worth, Texas, Oklahoma won its fifth NCAA women’s title, rallying from last place after the first rotation to post the best scores in each of the final three events for a 198.200 team score. Florida (198.075) was second and Utah (197.750) third.

■ College basketball: North Carolina guard Leaky Black, called the nation’s top defensive player by coach Hubert Davis, will return for a fifth year available because of the COVID-19 crisis. Black averaged 4.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 2021-22.